Resilient trunnion actuator support



March 20, 1956 w. B. MORRIS 2,738,972

RESILIENT TRUNNION ACTUATOR SUPPORT Filed Jang-30, 1953 United States Patent 2,738,972 RESILIENT TRUNNION ACTUATOR 'SUPPORT Willis B. Morris, Hawthorne, Calif.,"assignor to Northrop Aircraft, AInc., Hawthorne, Calif., a corporation-of California l Application January 30, 1953, Serial No. '33#,2'94

y3 Claims. `(Cl. I268-'74`) plane about a pivot point but ywhich may also 'be subject to movements ofa'lesser degree in a horizontal `plane. A mountingmeans as disclosed in the present .invention may be used, for example, in mounting the canopy'of an airplane, the canopy being pivotally moved between its open and closed positions, by means of a single actuator, about a pivot point adjacent vthe aft end of lthe canopy. j

LQuite frequently a plane having a canopy mounted as described above is Vtaxied with the canopy in its open position. At suchtirnes the .canopy maybe subject to a certain amount of .lateral motion as well as up and d'own motion, particularly such motion of the canopy is present iflit is subject to a cross wind or Ithe plane is ltaxied over roughterrain.

Accordingly 'it is 1an object of the present invention to provide a mounting means Which'per'mitsjpivo'tal movement in va'plurality'of planes. ,j

Another object .is to provide novel Vresilient mounting means for one component par't of aimachine or apparatus with respect to another component jpart when the 'two parts are either vin .spaced or .contacting relationship.

Another .object is 'to provide a novel resilient mounting mean's'whereby apart may be accurately positioned with respect to another part when in contacting -rela-l tionship.

A better understanding of the invention will become apparent .from the .following description vand drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the following description -and drawing is lfor -p'urposes of illustration only `:and not a definition of :the limits .of fthe invention, .reference being had for thisv :purpose .to't-.he appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an airplane in which a preferred form of the resiliently supported actuating device, as disclosed in the present invention, is utilized to mount a planes canopy for movement between its open and closed positions.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the resiliently supported actuating device, as shown vin Figure 1, on a larger scale.

Referring to Figure 1 a portion of an airplane 1 is shown, the plane having a canopy 2 adapted to close the cockpit 3 of the plane. The canopy is mounted to the plane by means of a pivotal attach member 4, located adjacent its aft end, and a resilient mounting actuating assembly 5 located approximately at the mid-portion of the canopy. The canopy is raised and lowered by an ice 2 actuator .ssociatedfwith fthe resilient mounting actuating assembly byupivoting fit about 'the attach` member.

The resilient mounting actuating assembly .'5 comprises a4 pair' o'f L-shaped lbracket members 6 and 7, one ,leg portion o'f each bracket member is lxedly attached yto structural members 8 of 'the airplane, the structural members being equally spaced yon ea'c'h side of the longitu'dinal'axis of 'the' plane. The other legs 9 of the brackets are parallel Sto .each .other land the longitudinal axis of the fp'ilanmpand extend rearwardly from structural members S. Mounted in vthe legs 9 of the brackets are apair of spaced circular trunnion rods 10and 11 passing through suitable apertures therein. .'Rod 1'0 .is positioned so that one of its 'ends is u'sh with fthe outer surface 'of the leg 9 'of "the .bracket 7 vand nis welded in this position as indicatedat 12, 'the .other .end is freely supported in a bushing 13. and' extends .al suitable distance beyond .the outer surface of the leg 9 ofbracket 6 for a purpose whichfwill `be presently apparent. Rod I1 'is similarly mounted, however, one of its ends is welded to vthe leg'9 v of -`bracket 6 while its other end extends beyond the leg A91ot"l; racket 7 and is .likewise freely supported -in a bushin'g "13. Mounted on .the extending end portions of the rods 10 and 11 are trunnion .arms 14 and 15 which extend 'rearwardiy and :upwardly from `.the rods, the arms'are xedly secured to the 'rods V10 and 1l by any suitable means, ftapered'pins .'lbeing used 'in the present embodiment. Positioned vbetween the outer ends of 'the arms Alil and IS'is a 'spacer member v17, the member being pivotally attached to the outer ends of the armsiby means of capscrewsor pins 18.

`Depending"from the spacermernber I7 is a protective cover .19 'h'ousin'g a reversible electric motor 20 also dependingtfrorn the spacer member.

yElectricconductors 21 to 24, inclusive, extend'betwe'en the 'electric ymotor'and a source o'felectric power 25, the conductors providing .two flow paths 'for current to the motor kthereby enabling 'it 'to 'be rotated either clockwise or 'counter-"clockwise.A Extending through 'an aperture in jthe 'spacer'm'ember is a tubular member 26 provided with 'screwithreads on its outer surface, "the tubularvmern-y ber ibeing positioned generally vertical as shown in ythe gures. ilihethreads on tubular memberlfthreadably engage 'a gear l"( not `shown) whchis supported in a suitable lcon'ventional fmanner :by 'the "spacer member,v Aa 'com ventional `gear `train (not shown) 'transmits rotary movement of the motor 2t) to the .gear resulting ina vraising or l'owe'ringlof *the tdbular -member and canopy depending -upon Itliejdii'ect'ion fof -rotation of the motor i20.l The tippelfnd of fthe 'tubular member is attached to `a 'suitable structural rmniber of the canopy -by mean-s 'of 'a baumndsoeket eennectionlzs.

.LA limit Aswitch 5129 ris placed in Ithe :electricfcircit, cornprising Yconductors 221, .22, 'and 24 :and La .Lmanually lopen' ated switch 30, it is assumed that current flowing through conductors 21, 22 and 24 results in a clockwise rotation of the reversible motor accompanied by a lowering of the tubular member 26 and canopy 2. The switch 29 is mounted on an arm 31 extending from bracket 7 and is located so its actuator arm 32 is positioned in the line of travel of the arm 15. The switch 29 regulates the downward travel of member 26 and the canopy in a manner of which will be presently apparent. Another electric circuit, comprising conductors 22 and 23, and 24 and al manually operated switch 33 is also provided which when energized results in a counter-clockwise rotation of the reversible motor accompanied by a raising of the tubular member and canopy.

In the canopys fully lowered position, as indicated by phantom construction vin Figure l, a certain amount of torsional stress is placed in the rods 10 and 11. This stress s induced by over-travel of the spacer member I7 after the canopy has positioned itself on the sides of the cockpit. At the time the canopy seats itself on the cockpit the motor is still energized, accordingly it will continue to exert a downward `force on the canopy, through the tubular member 2'6, which force will be resisted by the sides of the cockpit. As the canopy can not be lowered further the spacer member 17 moves upward on the tubular member until the link contacts the actuator arm 32, at this time the electric circuit to the motor is de-energized, momentum of the moving parts results in a slight additional travel of the spacer member in an up direction. The position of link members 15 as it contacts the actuator arm 32 and its inalV position is shown in phantom construction and so indicated in Figure 2.

The above construction insures the canopyseating itself with approximately the same degree of Iirmness each time it is lowered as its positioning is automatically controlled. The torsional stress induced in the rods 10 and 11 will resiliently retain the canopy in its fully lowered position prior to the time it is locked in its down position.

Thecanopy is raised by energizing the circuit comprising conductors 22, 23 and 24 by closing manual switch 33 causing the motor 20 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction. As the motor and tubular member 26 are actuated the spacer member 17 is first lowered until the torsional stress is removed from the rods 10 and 11 and an opposite torsional stress induced therein sutiicient to overcome the weight of the canopy. Further actuation of member 26 raises the canopy to a fully open position as shown by solid construction in Figure l. Its fully open position may also be determined by a conventional limit switch (not shown) if desired.

The above construction of the mounting-actuator assembly permits the tubular member 26 to pivot about pins 18 in a fore and aft direction and also in a lateral direction with respect to the airplane. The lateral pivoting is permitted by the depressing or raising of either one of the links independently of the other. This feature is advantageous should the plane be taxied with the canopy in its open position particularly if the plane is taxied over rough terrain or is subject to a cross wind. Under these conditions the canopy will necessarily move to a certain degree from side to side'. The mounting-actuating assembly through the trunnion rods will permit such movement without damage to any of its parts and return the canopy to a position in which it is symmetrical with respect to the airplane. It is further apparent that any up and down movement of the canopy will also be absorbed by the trunnion rods.

While in order to comply with the statutes, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specitic features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise a preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into elect, and the invention is therefore claimed 4 in any of its forms or moditications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A mounting device for resiliently supporting and moving a non-stationary structure with respect to a xed structure, comprising: first and second mounting members adapted to be secured to said fixed structure, first and second resilient rods mounted on said members in spaced parallel relation with respect to each other: one end of said first rod being frxedly secured to said first member and mounted for free angular movement in said second member; one end of said second rod being iixedly secured to said second member and mounted for free angular movement in said first member, first and second elongated link members each having one end tixedly secured to the free ends of said first and second rods, respectively; a spacer member mounted between and pivotally attached to the other ends of said link members; said link members being secured to said rods so that the axis about which said spacer member pivots on said links is normally parallel to the axes of said rods; an elongated supporting member movably mounted on said spacer member and adapted to support said non-stationary structure; and power means operationally connected to said supporting member whereby the latter may be moved throughout a major portion of its length with respect to said spacer member when said power means is engaged.

2. A mounting device as set forth in claim l: further characterized by said supporting member comprising a threaded rod and said power means comprising a bidirectional rotary motor; said supporting member having an end adapted to support said non-stationary structure; and a source of power for said motor.

3. In a mounting device for resiliently supporting and allowing movement of a non-stationary structure with respect to a fixed structure, comprising: first and second mounting members adapted to be secured to said stationary structure; irst and second resilient rods mounted on said members in parallel spaced relation with respect to each other; one end of said rst rod being tixedly secured to said iirst member and mounted for free angular movement in said second member; one end of said second rod being xedly secured to said second member and mounted for free angular movement in said tirst member, irst and second elongated link members cach having one end tixedly secured to the free ends of said first and second rods, respectively; a spacer member mounted between and pivotally attached to the other ends of said link members; said link members being secured to said rods so that the axis about which said spacer member pivots on said links is normally parallel to the respective axes of said rods.

References Cited inthe tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS h-on 

